Potato-gathering machine.



J. D-OLMAN. POTATO GATHERING MACHINE.,

APPLICATION FILED APR.27,19023.

1 .Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

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Patented Jan. 12, `1909.

.J U/man J. DOLMAN. POTATO GATHERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ,33.27.1968.

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POTATO GATHERING MAGHNE. APPLIGATIOH FILED 211.27.1908.

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JOSEPH noLiiAN, or wnsrviLLs, INDIANA..

POTATO-GATHERING MACHINE.

Application led April 27,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12,'1909.

1,908. Serial No. 429,441.

To all 'whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, JOSEPH DOLMAN, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Westfull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates tonew and useful im rovements in otato gathering machines an has for its oliject the production lof a simple and eiiiciently o eratingv device of this kind by means of W ich potatoes may be gathered from the ground and'conveyed to a wagon in an ex editions manner and with a minimum of la or.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 i represents aside elevation of a machine einbodying my im i'oveinents, looking from one i side of the mac une; Fig. 2 is a similar view looking from the opposite side of the machine,

with arts broken away and the front end of the e evator raised; Fig. 3 is a plan view,`

' Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5-5 of,Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a similar view, taken on line 66 of Fig.

A ln the embodiment illustrated, the numeral 1 indicates the machine body which is mounted upon suitable supporting wheels, said. frame as shown, consisting of side cross pieces 2 and 3 respectively. :porting structure is mounted upon the rear end of the machine body. As shouii, said structure consists of a pair of upright longitudinally spaced supports 4 which are arranged at each side of the machine and are connected byv longitudinally. extending top pieces 5, it being evident however that this An upright supcomprises side pieces 7 and cross pieces 8, the latter of which sup Jort a iioor consisting of a series of longitudinally -extending spaced wires or rods 10 a number of which extend the full length of the frame and the remainframe located at the pivotal point thereof.

An endless elevator 11 is arranged inthe consisting of sprocket chains 12, and a series of longitudinally spaced cross pieces 414, the sprocket chains running over the toothed drums 13, suitably mounted between the side pieces of the supporting frame. Longitudinally extending guard strips 9 are arranged over the sprocket chains of the carrier, the front ends of said strips terminating' in rearwardly curved runners 9 which ride over the surface of the ground.

In carrying out the invention each of the cross pieces 14 .of the elevator is provided with a series of transversely spaced gathering iingers' .15 which are bent inwardly approximately at right angles to form tooth portions 16 which are adapted to enter the ground beneath the potatoes and elevate them upon i tliefloor of the elevator frame.

i A particular feature of the invention ref sides in the provision of manually operated l means for adjusting the front end of the elef vator frame to suit the surface of the ground. t This is accomplished by an operating lever 17 extending crank 18 the side pieces of which extend in parallel relation with the elevator l frame and the cross piece 19 of which is conl nected with the under edges of the side pieces 7 of the supporting frame 6 by longitudinally extending keeper plates 20. The remaining i iortion ofsaid o )eratinLr lever terminates in a forwardly extending handle 21 the free end l of which may be engaged with either of a series of notches or recesses 22 formed in the i outer face of an upright 23 arranged at the 1 front end of the machine body. By this construction it will be readily perceived vthat by raising or lowering the handle portion of the i operating lever the front end of the elevator construction is notnecessarily resorted to. d frame may be raised or lowered to any deln carrying Aout the invention an elevator supporting frame 6 which extends the full length of the machine and is inclined rearwardly and upwardly, is pivotally mounted between the top pieces 5 of tliepsupporting' structure. As shown, said elevator frame sii-ed extent to suit the surface of the ground. i The upright 23 is also preferably provided with a notch or recess 24 at its extreme upper i end for the reception of the handle portion of the operating lever in the event of the operator desiring to raise the front end of the eleing wires or rods to the cross piece ofthe supporting frame 6, said elevator, as shown,

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l a portion of which is bent to form a forwardly l i one end of a counter-shaft 28 mounted beneath the machine body. This countershaft is also provided with a sprocket wheel 29 over which and a second sprocket wheel 3() fixed to the extreme outer end of a stub shaft 31 mounted in one of the top pieces 5 is arranged to extend a drive sprocket chain 32,. The stub shaft 31 is also provided with a second sprocket wheel 33 by meansiof which communication is imparted to a transversely extending shaft 34 through the medium of a sprocket chain 35 running over 1the wheel 33 and a suitable sprocket wheel 36 fixed to the adjacent end of said shaft 34. y

A toothed drum 37 is mounted between I the rear supports 4 and serves as av guide for 'the sprocket chains it being evident however, that this last mentioned drum may be dispensed with if desired.

One end of a'laterally extending carrier I frame 38 is mounted between the upright supports 4 ofthe supporting structure the opposite end of which projects a suitable distance from one side of the machine, the purpose of which willbe described. As shown, this frame consists of side and cross pieces 39 and 40 respectively and a floor composed of a number oflongitudinally extending spaced wires or rods 41 which are supported by and connected with the cross pieces. An endless carrier 42 is arranged in said carrier frame,

` said carrier consisting of sprocket chains 43 connected by a series of longitudinally spaced cross pieces 44, the sprocket chains running over suitable toothed drums or cylinders 45 mounted between the side pieces and at opposite ends of the carrier frame.

The following is a brief description of the gearing whichis employed for driving the carrier ;.one end of the counter-shaft 28 is provided with a bevel gear 46 which intermeshes with a bevel'pinion 47 arranged at the front end of a longitudinally extending shaft 48, to the intermediate portion of which is keyed or otherwise fixed a sprocket wheel I 49 over which and a second wheel 50 f xed to one end of one of the drums 45 is arranged a drive sprocket chain 51.

A drum 52 is suitably mounted at a suitable oint above the elevator frame, said drum ein rovided with four or more trans- A verse series of radially projecting spaced fingers 53 which are so positioned as to pass between the toothed portions 16 of the gathering fingers 15 and serve to separate the potato vines or other debris therefrom. This drum is driven by a .sprocket chain 54 which passes over a suitable sprocket Wheel 55 fixed lto one end of the drum shaft and overa second sprocket wheel 56 fixed to the stub shaft 562, motion being communicated. to said stub shaft by a sprocket chain 563 p13-pissing over a suitable sprocket wheel 564,

ed to one endof the main'axle25. A

vsecond drum 57 provided with four or more series of fingers 58 isl mounted upon the side vpieces of the machine body in rear of the drum 52, the former servin toremove any vines or other debris from t e gathering fingers that may be still, retained thereby after chine driven astride the rows of potatoes.

As the machine is driven forward the gathering fingers gradually approach the round until having reached the iront end of t e mal chine when eacli'of the respective series of` fingers enetrates into the ground to a distanceo three or more inches and gathers the potatoes therefrom and conveys them to the fioor of the elevator frame upon which they are dumped and carried by the cross pieces 14 of the elevator to the carrier, the wires or rods constituting the floor of the elevator frame being sufiiciently spaced apart at the extreme end of the elevator frame as heretofore described to permit the potatoes to Ifall between the same upon the carrier by means of which they are conveyed to a wagon which may be driven alongside of the machine. l

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

the construction and operationof the invention will be readily understood Without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1.' In a machine of the character described the combination with the machine body, of an upright supporting structure mounted at the rear thereof, a rearwardly and tip-n Y wardly inclined carrier frame pivotal mounted upon the supporting structure, said frame. comprising side pieces provided at their front ends with rearwardly curved run-` ners adapted to ride over the surface of the ground, manually operated means for-ad justing the front end of the elevator frame vertically and an endless carrier arranged in said frame.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination With the machine frame, of

an upright sulport iXedly mounted thereon, l

a longitudine y disposed carrier frame pivotally mounted upon said support and'pro vided at its front end with rearwardly curved runners, an endless carrier arranged in said frame, a transverse carrier arranged beneath the rear end of said longitudinallydisposed front end of the longitudinally disposed carrier frame vertically.

In testimony `whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Wit nesses.

JSEPH DOLE/LAN. Witnesses E. KALIES, B. H. STEWART. 

